The Heiress (13 page)

My dear daughter, I have arranged for you to be presented to Madame Dubarry at tomorrow's evening reception in the Salon de Mars. I have also arranged for her to receive Captain O'Neil. Accept this small peace offering for my tactlessness the other day. Your affectionate mother, Katharine Macdonald of Dundrenan
.

‘Marie-Jeanne,' Anne sprang up; she had forgotten her depression in her relief that at last she could give Francis some hope—no, more than hope. What the Dubarry asked, the King granted.

‘Marie-Jeanne, go and find Captain O'Neil—tell him to come here at once!'

‘I can't believe it,' he said; they were both in Anne's boudoir, chaperoned by two footmen who served them wine and stood with their backs to the wall, still as statues.

‘This is the introduction everyone dreams of getting—the Dubarry herself. Madame Anne, I will be offered a marshal's baton!'

‘And you'll deserve it,' she laughed at him. ‘But it's all my mother-in-law's doing, not mine. Wait until you meet her, Francis; she's a great beauty, even now.'

‘Why should she help me?' he asked. ‘Did you mention it?'

‘Only in passing,' Anne admitted. ‘I spoke about the King, not the Dubarry; she's almost as difficult to approach. I had some idea that on the night of my ball I might be able to introduce you, but this is much better. We can go to Versailles tomorrow. Dear Francis, aren't you happy?'

He didn't answer her for a moment. He would probably get his commission; it was the first chance of security he had ever known, a chance to settle in the service of one monarch and adopt France as his country. If he had never met Anne he could have asked for nothing more in the world.

‘I am very happy,' he said gently. ‘Except that I shall have to leave you.'

‘I know,' Anne said. ‘I don't know what I should have done without you. I don't know what I shall do without you. But it's what you wanted, isn't it?'

‘It is,' the blue eyes smiled at her and there was an expression in them which was suddenly very gay. ‘And if I get it, I'm going to come and ask you something, one more favour before I say good-bye.'

‘Ask me now,' Anne said. ‘I hate secrets. What is it?'

He shook his head. ‘Not now,' he said. ‘Now is not the time. But I'm going to ask it, no matter what happens. The time will come.'

The Salon de Mars was one of the
grands appartements
at Versailles and it was here that the King settled down to play cards after dining. His companions were always carefully selected; Princes of the Blood, a Rohan, a Guise, a Conde, bearers of names as proud and ancient as that of Bourbon itself; squeezed in among them was occasionally someone the King liked, like the reprobate Marquis de Chauvelin who accompanied him to the Parc au Cerfs and even managed to make the monarch laugh.

When Anne, accompanied by Katharine and followed by Francis O'Neil, entered the salon she sank in a deep curtsy in the doorway, and after proceeding a few steps into the room turned very slowly towards the table where the King was seated at play and curtsied once again. The King looked up and acknowledged her with a slight nod. Walking past him sideways, so as not to turn her back, Anne followed her mother-in-law into the far end of the salon where a group of people were standing, paying a great deal of attention to someone in their midst. Over her shoulder Anne smiled at Francis. He was in a coat of deep blue satin with white satin breeches and fine lace, and on Anne's advice he wore his thick yellow hair unpowdered. ‘She will remember you better if you don't look much like everybody else,' she told him, and he had taken her advice. It was good advice because every woman in the room paused to glance up at him as he passed. The King, who made a point of noticing no one who was not a pretty woman, kept his eyes on his cards.

They stood together while Katharine made her way into the little circle. After a few moments she beckoned to them. The group had dispersed, revealing the charming figure of the Comtesse Dubarry seated in an armchair, with her exquisite ankles crossed on a footstool looking as fresh and lovely as a newly opened rose in her famous pink-coloured dress, wearing a wig dyed to match. She smiled at them, as nonchalant as a duchess and quite indistinguishable from one except that the neck of her gown was so low that it exposed her breasts to the nipples.

‘Madame, may I present my daughter-in-law, Madame Macdonald.'

Anne made a slight bow, exactly right in proportion to her own rank and the importance of the Favourite who responded by smiling broadly at her.

‘I've seen you, Madame,' she said. ‘I've often admired your jewels; they've made me look to my own, I can tell you.'

With difficulty Anne kept her eyes on the lovely face and above the level of that outrageous décollétage.

‘Comtesse, you don't need jewels. Nature has already adorned you enough.'

Dubarry laughed; it was a gay sound and the King looked up for a moment, pleased to see that his mistress was being amused.

‘Thank you, Madame; one doesn't often get a compliment from another woman. Your mother-in-law, Madame Macdonald, tells me you have a magnificent Hôtel in Paris which you're going to open for our entertainment. What a good idea! I'm sure it will turn everyone green with envy.'

‘I am giving a ball to mark the occasion,' Anne said. The Favourite was very easy to talk to. She affected none of the chilly and majestic airs which had made her predecessor, Madame de Pompadour, so hated. ‘It would do me great honour if you consented to be present. I shall send you an invitation if that's agreeable to you.'

‘Very agreeable.' Dubarry responded. ‘If it suits His Majesty, of course. Depend upon it, Madame, I shall be there if he allows me—if he goes himself, I mean. I am dying with curiosity to see your new house. This place stifles me! I shall be delighted to get out of it for an evening.'

She nodded to Anne and Anne withdrew. The introduction was over; she saw Katharine smiling at her; she had done well. The Favourite liked her. Louis would come to the ball and her place as one of the most important hostesses in Paris was assured. As she moved away she looked at Francis; the same expression was in his eyes as on the previous evening, a look of boldness, even of recklessness, which she had never seen before. As they passed each other, Anne's lips moved.

‘Be nice to her.'

He gave a tiny nod, and then she saw him bending over the Dubarry's hand. Francis had seen many beautiful women; he had seen the King's mistress as often as he had seen the King, in those long weary weeks while he kicked his heels at Versailles and went hungry to make his meagre money last. But he was unprepared for the power of her attraction at close quarters. He was a man and he knew too what was expected of him. He gazed deliberately at the beautiful bosom and then raised the look until it reached her lovely face. The bright eyes sparkled into his with the coquetry which was as natural to her as breathing. Her appraisal was as bold and as admiring as his, and she showed it by laughing; she was one of the few women at Court whose teeth were perfect.

‘Captain O'Neil, my daughter's agent, Madame,' Katharine said. ‘He has waited a long time at Versailles for an opportunity to meet you.'

‘What do you want, Monsieur? I can't make you
my
agent, unfortunately. The King wouldn't like it, even if I might! How long have you been here?'

‘Two months, Madame,' Francis answered coolly. ‘If it weren't for the charity of Madame Macdonald in giving me some employment I should have been forced to leave after the first fortnight. I find Court life very expensive.'

‘I'm glad you found someone to befriend you,' the Dubarry winked. ‘Now tell me, Captain whose name I can't possibly pronounce, what is there to know about you?'

‘Very little, Madame,' he answered. ‘My family were exiled from Ireland by the English after fighting for the Catholic House of Stuart. I have neither lands nor fortune; I have been a soldier all my life, fighting for whomsoever would pay me. I came in the hope that I might offer my sword to His Majesty.'

‘Have you any friends here?' she asked him.

‘None but Madame Macdonald.'

‘I'm tired of sitting down, Monsieur, give me your hand and escort me to the other side of the room.' The Dubarry got out of her chair, moving as gracefully as a dancer, and with a mischievous look at Katharine, she walked away on the arm of the O'Neil. They paused by a window. To his surprise he saw that the mocking little face was quite serious.

‘If you haven't any friends, Monsieur, you already have enemies. I've heard a great deal about you and Madame Macdonald. I like her and I like you. If you want a commission from the King I'll get one for you. But you know you'll lose her?'

‘No, I won't,' Francis said very quietly; there was no pretence, no flirtation between them now. ‘Once I've a position of my own, I'll take her with me.'

‘Good,' she said. ‘I'm glad of that. Her husband's a swine.'

‘There's no reason in the world why you should help me, but I'll be grateful to you for the rest of my life if you do.'

‘I've never done anyone a bad turn,' the Dubarry smiled up at him. ‘Sometimes I like to do a good one if I can. I can remember what it was like to be without friends and without money. I've a sharp instinct for Versailles, my dear Captain, and I smell the wolves gathering about you two. I can't tell why. There's been too much talk about you and Madame there. It will be better for you both to go away together as soon as you can. I'll get your commission out of him …' She nodded towards the King. ‘You'll have it within the month. Take me back to my chair now before he looks up and sees us. He gets more unpredictable every day.'

Francis gave her his arm once more and handed her into the armchair with a bow as low as he would have given to the Dauphine herself.

‘Madame,' he said as he kissed her hand. ‘Consider me your devoted servant—for life.'

‘If I ever need a strong sword arm I'll remember you,' she said gaily. ‘
Au revoir
, Captain.'

‘I must congratulate you,' Katharine said to him as they walked down the corridors together. ‘You made exactly the right impression on her. I'm sure she'll help you.'

‘I believe she will, Madame.' Francis looked directly into the beautiful face and the penetrating blue eyes which were openly examining him. ‘I must thank you with all my heart for your kindness in arranging that introduction. First so much kindness from Madame herself, and now from you too. I wish I could repay it.'

‘You can, Captain,' Katharine spoke very quietly; Anne was a little ahead of them and she began to walk more slowly so that the distance widened between them. ‘You can repay any small favour I have done you by insisting that Anne is more discreet with you. Please!' She saw the angry flash in his eyes and she held up her hand. ‘I know perfectly well your friendship is innocent; what I do know is the amount of gossip which is spreading about you, especially since you entered my daughter-in-law's service. Everyone says you're her lover, Captain, whether you are or not. I'm only afraid that my son may decide to take the rumour seriously. Having met you, I feel you might well be a match for him, but I tremble to think what he would do to Anne. For her sake, get your commission and leave as quickly as you can. In the meantime I wish you'd resign your position with her and move out of the Hôtel!'

Francis walked on slowly side by side with her. ‘I have never met your son, Madame,' he said at last, ‘but from what I've heard of him I agree that it would go very hard with Anne if be suspected anything. For that reason alone I have no intention of leaving her alone. As for my commission, I believe I shall get it, and I shall leave Versailles at once. As for your son, I warn you, if he accuses me or molests Anne I shall certainly kill him!'

‘Yes,' Katherine said quietly. ‘Perhaps you will. That would be a happy solution for everybody. I will leave you both here. Good night, my child.' She came up to Anne and kissed her. Then she turned to Francis and gave him her hand. ‘I know you will see my daughter safely back to Paris,' she said. ‘Good night, Captain.'

Outside in the long avenue leading to the Cour des Marbres, two carriages passed each other, one setting out for Paris, the other returning from a trip to the Trianon; Louise leant forward and looked out of the window as they passed; the postilion carried torches, and the arms of Anne de Bernard Macdonald were clearly visible on the panels of the coach that swung away from them. She could also see the outlines of two people sitting together inside it. She leant back and looked at Charles who was sitting with his eyes closed. They had been gambling at the Trianon and he had lost rather a lot of money, while she had won. He was not in an agreeable mood, but she felt the opportunity must not be missed. The spy at the Hôtel de Bernard had not sent any information and Louise was beginning to suspect the woman of prolonging her employment and withholding what she knew. ‘What a pity you were sleeping,' Louise said. ‘You have just missed seeing your wife and her lover driving back to Paris!'

The pale eyes opened and in the dim light they glittered at her. ‘My wife and her lover … is that what you said, or was I dreaming?'

‘That's what I said,' Louise persisted. ‘I've no doubt you know all about it—everyone else in Versailles does!' She looked down at him, and though she was afraid, she went on, slightly mocking him. He would probably hit her, but it wouldn't be the first time and it would be worth it.

‘I must say, you surprise me, Charles. I never imagined you'd allow yourself to be made a cuckold so openly! There they were, driving away together in her coach for all the world to see.… Still, it's no affair of mine. I suppose she's entitled to amuse herself, even if she is being very indiscreet about it.'